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the Treasury of the United States, and arranged
the financial branch of the government
upon so perfect a plan, that no great
improvement lias ever been made upon it
by his successors.
Thomas Haywood, of South Carolina,
was but 30 years of age, when ho signed the
glorious record of a nation's birth, the
Declaration of Independence; Elbridge
Gerry, of Massachusetts, Benjamin Rush
and James Wilson of Pennsylvania, were
but 31 years of age ; Matthew Thornton,'
of New Hamshire-. 31 ; Thomas Jefferson, !
of Virginia, Arthur Middleton, of South j
Carolina, and Thomas Stone, of Maryland j
33; and William Hooper, of North Carolina,
but 34.
John Jay, at 20 years old, was a member
of the Revolutionary Congress, and being
associated with Lee and Livingston, on the
committee for drafting an address to the
people of Great Britain, drew up that paper
himself, which was considered one of the
most eloquent productions of the time.?
At 32 he penned the constitution of New
York, and in the same year was appointed :
clueI justice oi the State. At .34 ; he was
appointed minister to Spain.
At the age of 2G, Thomas Jefferson was
a leading member of the Colonial Legisla- j
ture in Virginia. At 30 he was a member
of the Virginia Convention, at 32 a member
of Congress ; at 33 he drafted the Declaration
of Independence.
Milton, at the age of 23, had written his
finest Miscellaneous Poems, including his
L'Allegro, Penscroso, Comus, and the most
beautiful of Monodies.
Lord Byron, at the age of 20, published
ins celebrated satire upon the Lmglisli Ijarils
and Scotch Reviewers; at 23, the first two
Cantos of Child Harold's Pilgrimage.?
Indeed all the poetic treasures of his genius
were poured forth in their richest profusion,
before he was 34 years old ; and he died
at 37.
Mozart, the great German musician, >
completed all his noble compositions before
he was 34 years old; and died at 30.
Pope wrote his published poems by tlx
time he was 19 years old, at 20 his Essay
on Criticism ; at 21 the Rape of the Lock, j
and at 25 his great work, the Translation
nf llin II l.i/l
Dr. Dwight's Conquest of Canaan was ;
commenced at the age of 1G and finished
at 22. At the latter age, he composed his ,
celebrated dissertation on the history, elo
quence and poetry of the Bible, which was
immediately published, and re-published in
Europe.
i
From the N. O. Picayune, ?tluy 7, 1347. !
War Items?Mexican Incidents.
.We cull from our corresdence such items |
and incidents as have not altogether been j
n ? ( mi r\r?4n/l iuV* inl? *> ? ?? V\/? ? i ?- ?.
anu w uik/ii ina^ uu luiciudiiu^
to the public.
/ The Storming oJ Ccrro Gordo.
Mr. Kendall in one of his letters gives j
the following account of the storming of.
Cerro Gordo. But for the illness of Gen. j
Smith the ussault would have been led by !
that gallant officer. In his stead Colonel j
Harney has reaped the laurels o( this glori- i
ous achievement, and long may he wear j
them. The mischance of one chivalious >
spirit made way for the valor of another,
who approved himself, upon this as upon j
other occasions, capable of the most daring j
feats of gallantry.
The storming and capture of the strong i
works on Cerro Gordo, by the brigade un-j
der Col. Harney, may be looked upon as ;
one of the most brilliant achievements of the !
Mexican war?the fate of the battle turned I
upon it, and here the enemy had placed an
overwhelming force gf his best troops ?
The hill was steep and naturally difficult
of ascent; but independent of this the
ground was covered with loose, craggy
??,v?i, l.wl -i
juuivOj uiiu uuubi^iuwui ui mu^n;u cua|mi- j
ral, besides many small treses, ihe tons of;
which were cm of some four or five feet
from the ground, an turned down the hill to
impede the progress of the stormers. To
climb the height at all, even without arms
of any kind, would be an undertaking that
few would care about essaying : what then
must it have been with men encumbered
with muskets and cartridge boxes, and
obliged to dispute every step of the precipitous
and rugged ascent? Murderous showers
of grape and canister greeted our men
at the onset, and as they toiled unfaltering
through a tempest of iron hail a heavy fire
of musketry open upon them. Not a man
quailed?with loud shouts they still pressed
upward and onward. At every step our
ranks were thinned ; but forward went the
snrvivors. When within good musket
range, but not until then, was the fire of the
enemy returned, and then commenced the
dreadful carnage ot the strife. The Mexican
held to their guns with more than their
usual bravery, but nothing could resist the
Tierce onset of the storiners. Over the
"breastwork with which the Mexicans had
AlirrmmdnH t Vi o nmot nf tKn hill llioir nliornuirl
WM4*VUMWUVt ?4AV ViVtJV VI HIV UIII VUUI^UUj
, and shouting attack the enemy in his very
stronghold. The latter now fled panic
stricken* but sti 11 they were pursued ; and
it was not until the affrighted fugitives had
reached a point'without the extreme range
of their own cannon, which had been turned
upon them at the onset, that they censed in
their flight. The. national dolors of our
. j* ,C fdntry' now supplanted the banner of the i
, enem^ the different regimental flags were |
- * .also planted oh the crest, and shouts louder
-th^n ever from the Victors rose upon the air;
di^st^tlck terrorinto'the very hearts of the ene,
, nay in the works still untaken, for they
} ktfew. that, their strong positions had been
turned and that they were at the mercy of
'^fa&men they. Kad scoffed at in the morning.
Wwir^as victory so complete, although pur*
.;;
%Tu ?
\
*
chased with the blood ofsoine of our best men.
Lieut. Ewell. of the rifles, was among the
first within the enemy's breastworks, and it
was here that he received his death wound.
The interior of the work was covered with
the dead of the enemy, among them Gen.
| Vasquez,Col. Palacio,and many of th<iir officers,
while the hill side down which they
fled was strewn as well. Near 200 men
were loll dead, while the wounded would |
swell the number to at least 500?some
even put it down as high as 700.
The regiment composing Col. Harney's
command, and which successfully stormed
the noted Cerro Gordo, where the 1st Artillery
under Col. Childs, the 3rd infantry under
Captain E. B. Alexander, the 7th Infantry
under Col. Plympton, and a portion
of the rifles under Mnjor Loring. Many
eases ol individual bravery, performed by
subaltern officers, have been mentioned ;
but as 1 cannot particularly notice such as j
1 have heard of without perhaps doing in- j
justice to others equally meritorious, I shall j
forbear writing until 1 have more full infor- !
ii il .i* . . . . . _ - l
maiion. i iKiu aimosi lorgouen 10 siaiemai
four companies of the 2nd Infantry, under
Colonel Riley, look an active part in the
assault.
Julapa.
Jalapa, Mexico, April 2U, 1847. ,
Here we are at last, in one of the most j
delightful places in all Mexico. As we
came in this morning, along a road fringed j
on either side with the richest vegetation, j
the white crestof Orizaba, piercing the very
, vault of heaven, was plainly visible, and a j
busy bum of admiration ran along the line
as the snow-clad mountain first broke upon
. I t . . ! _ _ / . .. _ _
i me view, jv spectacle 01 greater magniu- i
cence or grandeur is not to be seen the wide
world over. Here were we, in a soft bland
air, and with vendure and flowers of the ;
rarest beauty and fragrance all around?
above Qs, as it were, towering in the very
skies, yet in plain view, was old Orizaba,
clad in his eternal raiment of snow. But
this place has been so often spoken of and
written about that I shall not dwell upon it. j
Santa Anna.
Santa Anna entirely disapproved of the ;
surrender of Vera Cruz of course, in proof
of which he sent Morales and Landero to .
Perote for trial. Thev stand a most excel- i
icnt chance of being liberated in a few days
by General Worth. What is to be donlS j
with Santa Anna himself? how is he to j
answer, after swearing that he would shed j
the fast drop cf his blood at Cerro Gordo, for !
running off without shedding the first drop? j
There is a question for some body to answer. ,
I send you files of El Republicano.? i
I also forward you several copies of papers J
published at this place, (Jalapa,) previous i
tn tlio nrrnnt Kfitllo r\f f !nrrn Tlin i
vw w.vs i 111. |
exulting tone of the editors, and the perfect
confidence they express in the ability of
Santa Anna to arrest the progress of the
" vandal," read funny enough, now that the
sequel is known. I cannot recollect anything
moro amusing than Santa Anna's
flowing proclamation announcing his victory
over General Scott on the 17th of April
unless it was his cisgraceful flight on a mule
on the 18th.
In the number published on the day of
the great battle at Cerro Gordo, and under
II' flu JLJUH-g JLJ6CC 6/6K jrM.V?06UU//6 J.T16611//IS
the following account of the skirmishing on
the 17th is given. It reads as follows, and
is most decidedlj' fat:
Yesterday between 11 and 12 o'clock,
a column of the enemy, composed of from .
5 to 0,000 men, attacked our position at j
Cerro Gordo. They came commanded by j
General Scott, who, inflated or puflued up |
[cngreido] with the assassinations he committed
with impunity at Vera Cruz, hoped
with the same impunity to penetrate our
camp here. At the commencement of the
firing. Gen Santa Anna ordered our troops
A . - -A . . t
to retire, in oracr 10 attract me enemy to a
point nearer our batteries. It had the e ffect.
Scott advanced, and then our columns displayed
in such a manner as to facilitate the
action of our cannon. Then commenced a
vivid fire of both artillery and infantry, encircling
the enemy, who was oblidged to
retire; and having twice afterwards attempted
to force our positions, he was twice
compelled to retire. These three charges
have cost the enemy 1,000 men in killed
and wounded ; we have lost 160, of whom
we couni au as KJiieu anu tne rest wounded.
From the Vera Cruz Flag, of 28th ult.
Capture of Tuspan.
The expedition consisted of the steamer
Mississippi, (flag-ship,) frigate Raritan,
sloop of war Albany, ships John Adams,
Germantown, Decatur, Spitfire. Vixen,
Scourge, Vesuvius, Hecla. Etna, Bonita,
Petrel and Reefer. Among the vessels
were distributed 150 men belonging to the
Potomac, and 340 belonging the Ohio, both
both of which remained at this place.?
After some delay at the Island of Lobos,
awaiting the arrival of the sailing vessels,
fllirl 511 VlCPfl II r?ri t 1 \r nl can niirinrf tn o
V?.*V, WV. VWV1|V.VMVI J V?v OWU J VVTHIg IV U U lopt 1 ~
sion of the vessels by a Norther, everything
was ready for landing on the morning of
the 18th inst., at which time the Mississippi
was anchored off the bar of Tuspan river,
while the other steamers, having had their
mast taken out, and otherwise lightened in
every possible way, took in tow the gun-boats
and barges of the expedition, carrying in
all, about 1200 men, and two pieces of field
artillery. Theother vessels of the squadron
remained at anchor nnder Tuspan shoals,
which lies six or eight miles to the eastward
of the bar.
In crossing the bar, the Spitfire led the
way, and was followed by the Vixen and
the Seoarge, each having a gun-boat in tow.
Two of tbft steamers struck on the bar but
werenototftieredto be 6topped for a moment.
' 4 V . %
They liberally ploughed their was over it.
By 12 o'clock, the whole expedition succeeded
in gaining an entrance of the river,
notwithstanding the serious difficulties presented
by the breakers of the bar. Shortly
afterwards, everything being in readiness
for an attack, Commodore Perry hoisted his
broad pennant on board the Spitfire, and at
once led the rest of the vessels up the river.
After aseendinir it about five miles, two
forts were dicovered on the right bank, both
of which opened upon the squadron.?
Immediately all the boat were manned with
storming parties, and while the steamers
and gunboats were gallantly returning the
fire of the forts they (the boats) dashed on
and quickly took possesssion of the forts,
the Mexicans retreating down one side of
the hill as the sailors ascended the other.
The whole expedition now moved on
steadily towards the town of Tuspan, but
in a little while another fortj situated on a
high hill, commanding the whole city,
opened upon the vessels and barges. At
the same time volleys of musketry were
fired by the enemy Irom the chaparral, his
latter fort was also promptly attacked, and
iikc me other two, was carried without the
enemy waiting to cross bayonets, our noble
tars proving themselve first rate fellows for
this species of boarding work. Simultaneously
with the occupation of this fort, a division
of the expedition landed in the town,
and at once took possession of it. The
greater part of the inhabitants had fled and
left but a few scattering soldiers within
reach of our balls.
In the course of the contest seventeen
men and officers were killed and wounded.
Captain Tatnall received a ball in the right
elbow joint; Lieutenant James L. Parker,
Aid to the Commodore, a severe wound in
the upper part of the breast; Lieut Whittle,
? 11 r\rl in .Un I ? I
.. ... tuiu uicui.
Harlstein, a flesh wound in the right wrist
ami thigh. All the wounded, however, arc
doing well.
Several guns of the Truxton were found
mounted upon the fort, all of which were
recovered and brought on board the squadron.
Other articles belonging to the Truxton
were likewise recovered. After retain*
ing possession of the town from the !8th to
the 22nd inst., the force was withdrawn
and embarked, leaving, however, the Albany
and gunboat Reefer, under Captain
Breeze to guard and command the place.
It may be proper to state, that all the forts
of the place were destroyed by our forces.
There being no further work on the coast
for the squadron, Commodore Perry contemplated,
we learn a movement towards
the interior, with a fine bodv of 2,500 tars,
thoroughly organized, should such a step
be deemed advisable.
From the Mobile Herald Tribune.
Later from Mexico.
Plan of Campaign?Guerilla war?Stale
of Mexico?Santa Anna?Important rumors
from the City of Mexic o?Probable
cessation of hostilities?Return of Volunteers?Military
orders?Probable recovery
of Gen. Shields?Arrival of Gen. Pillow,
Liehtenant Colonel A7i.de. > son t^r.
The steamship James L. Day arrived at
the Levee early this morning from Vera
Cruz, whence she sailed on the 5th instant.
By this vessels we have received our regular
correspondence and files of Vera Cruz and
Jalapa papers- Apart 'rom the intelligence
contained in our letters, we learn verbally
that an express reached Vera Cruz a moment
before the sailing of the James L. Day,
with information that a deputation had come
down from the city of Mexico to request
Gen. Scott to take the capital under his protection.
This news is almost incredible ;
but when it is remembered that the system |
of guerilla warfare has been adopted by i
Mexico, and that the banditti who engage I
in this service are as dangerous to their own j
countrymen as to the enemy, the report
gains some proDaDility.
The impression was gaining ground in j
the army that there would be no more fighting.
It was not expected that there would
be any opposition this side or at Puebla;
and it was even doubted if the Mexicans
would defend their capital. Expectations
of this nature have proved deceitful so often
that we indulge them with much misgiving.
The Mexican papers continue their declamatory
strictures upon.the mission of Atocha.
It would appear that the sending of this
miserable fellow on any important mission
# rt 1\4 rvturtA V-w . * r* r?t * 1? ? ^ ' ?
l\J 1T1LA1LU 11U3 y J VCI1 glCUlCl UlllUJ UgU llll&ll
all else that has been done by the United
States. They regard him in the light of an
official pimp, a treasonable pander, a perfidious
miscreant and indeed the concentration
of baseness. They think he was sent
here by the American cabinet in mock and
scorn. We have already copied the article
of El Republicano upon Atocha. That
paper, the very best in all Mexico; the
highest in tone and" the sturdiest defender
of republican institutions when the monarchical
party was in the ascendant, alter
noticing the arrival of Atocha on a mission
from this country and recounting his past
history in Mexico, remarks:"OhGod!
this is the greatest sign that
thou has forgotten us. Send upon us bombs,
rifles, grape shot and every class of projectile
and misfortune ; bum us, reduce us to
ashes, destroy us?annihilate but do not
dishonor us. Send the entire North to subjugate
and rule over us, but let not Atocha
be the broker of a contract -for peace, because
that, devolving upon as the greatest
scorn and the greatest humiliation, would
be [OGod I] the greatest punishment."
This, we are Assured is a true reflex of
the feelings of the better order of Mexicans
.in regard to this unfortunat appointment.
The whereabouts of Santa Anna is some*
1 . "'-/V ?.
I what problcmatcal. The lust authentic inI
telligence located him at Orizaba with a
j miscellaneous command of 3000. Subse!
quent rumors report him as having gone
! South to recruit his ranks at Oajaca. It is
! certain that he has not shown himself at
: the capitol since his defeat. There is a re'
port that he desires to leave the country;
but Mr. Kendall thinks ho may make a
i -1-.- -t 1 - 1
uuou iijjuii uuiucneu parties in me rear oi
1 the army, or upon wagon trains, with a
j view to reinstating himself in a good opin
ion of the nation.
! Maj. Gen. Pillow came passenger in the
t James L. Day. His wound is doing well,
j Lieut. Col. Anderson, of the 1st Tennes1
se regiment, camo over in the Day also.
Ele has seen much service, both ynder Gen.
j Taylor and Gen. Scott, at Monterey and
Cerro Gordo, and now returns on account
of ill health.?Picaynue.
< It was the intention of Gen. Scott, upon
the arrival of the wagon train that was to
start from Vera Cruz, about the 6th inst.
| to cut off all connection witn the sea coast, i
rely upon the country for sustenance, ahd !
push forward for the city. This general j
i order, dated at Jalapa, 30th April, intimates j
j as much. But Mr. Kendall's letter of the 1
4th?the very latest news?throws some
; doubt upon the speedy adoption of this
! plan, in consequence of the determination j
of the rwelve months, in a body, not to re- j
enlist. This may retard the advance of
the army, unless tndeed the reported readiness
of the city to surrender be confirmed.
If the rumor prove true, the guerilla troops
are mere marauders?a band of pirates;
j and should be treated accordingly.
| Gen. Worth was gathering up all the
gram ne coma, ana tins all his bakeries 1
! at work, as if in anticipation of breaking
ofTeommunication with Vera Cruz.
; It will be gratifying to all to learn that
Gen. Shields was thought to be in a fair
I way to recover. \Ve have always regarded
! him as the best appointment from civil life
; yet made by the President.
t) <?
! _ .
i ABBEVILLE C. IL, S. C.
Wednesday, May 1!>, IS 17.
Cotton Market.
Charleston, May 15th from 10 l-2to 12
1-2. Hamburg, May 15th, 10 to 12 1-4
; cts.
Tlio Crops and tlic Weather.
| We have had some most uncommon
: weather for this season of the year lately,
and even now fire is quite comfortable,
j The crops of small grain in this district
! are very indifferent, and is thought by ma!
ny farmers will not average a half crop,
j The cotton is suffering much from the fre!
quent cold spells we have, and the corn also
i from a small bug. 1
_ H3=* Dr. Agnew, of the Company that i
I . 1
' lolt this district for Mexico, arrived hero on
i Thursday evening last, and Lieutenant
| J. J. Martin on Saturday, wc have seen
| neither of the gentlemen and consequently
know nothing of the news they bring from
the company ; Lieut. Roberts is still at LagrangeGa.,
with his sick friend W. Watson.
Palmetto Regiment.
According to the latest information from
the Army, our Regiment was at Jalapa, its
health improved. It seems to be the understanding
of those who write, that the Regiment
will march on with the army to the
city of Mexico, and not lie left to garrison
any of the posts upon the road; we trust
this may be so# By a slip from the Daily
Picayunc, we learn, that among the prisoners
liberated by General Worth at thp
Castle of Pcrote, there were two South 1
Carolina Volunteers. Thcso we are happy
to learn by a letter from one of the Volunteers,
are the unfortunate young men Wat- 1
son and Riley, who were blown off* and 1
supposed to bo lost. They were wrecked 1
near Alvarada, taken by the Mexicans, car- 1
ried to Perote, and confined in its gloomy
walls until liberated by their own men.
What must have been their feelings \vhen
unconscious of tho approach of friends, and
supposing themselves to be completely-in
the hands of enemies and reserved perhaps
for some cruol death, they were summoned to
come forth to mingle onco more with friends 7
j These young men have oeen mourned for
las dead and these tidings cannot bo otherI
a1 i*/* < .1 ?
wibo man grauiymg 10 tneir menus.
Latest from Mexico.
In another portion of thi^/eek's paper
wo have gigoo all the news from Mexico
that would be of interest to our readers.
There is but little prospect still of peace.
Santa Anna according to the latest accounts
was said to be at Orizaba, with some 3,000
* / . ? ' - a . .
j. ,A
troops. He has not yet visited the capital
since his defeat at Cerro Gordo. Gen. Salas,
who was President ad interim before the
arrival of Santa Anna from exile, has issued
a proclamation announcing that he is
empowered to raised a guerilla corps, and
calls upon all good Mexicans to join his
standard. In his concluding s<?ntpnrA
a **v
says that " war to death, without pity, shall
be the device of the guerilla warfare of vengence
1"
President Axaya has also issued a proclamation
calling upon one and all to rally
to the standard and recue their common
country from the hand of tho invader?he
points them to the glorious deeds of their
fathers, and urges them to immitate their
example. From all these movements wo
are led to the belief that there is but little
prospect of the war being terminated soon.
Should the guerilla warfare be adopted, our
troops may be much annoyed by bands of
those wrolnlioo ? V??
j 11 HU 1IUVC UUl
| courage enough to face in open field a noj
ble.foe. It was by this system of warfare
| they exhausted and wore out the Spanish,
and finally compelled them to abandon the
re-conquest of the country; but we take it,
that in the Americans they have material
of a sterner nature to contend with; men
patient of toil, who will conquer or die.
And though hundreds of our gallant soldiers
may perish by the diseases incident to
that climate, there are thousands yet
? :n 1 I 1 '
us wuu win oucKie on ineir armour
and follow their country's standard
to the field, Mexico must yield, their stuborness
is of no avail?her walled cities and
impregnable castles?her rugged roads and
towering mountains arc but feoble barriers
to our victorious troops?the genius of
America fights with our Taylor, and Scott
. i
and glory and fame, invites our soldiers
onward to conqest.
Santa Anna.
Kendall, of the Picayune, writes from
Jalapa, April 25 :?
"I informed you the other day I had a
story to tell of Santa Anna and his travelling
carriage. In his great haste to leave it
he went off without talcing any ofhis effects
?a small writing case only was found broken
open, for he had no time to unlock it,
from which he had evidently taken a few
papers of great importance; but the majority
of his effects?his silver plate, his papers.
his money?all were there in good
condition. Two of our officers entered
Un Annnl\ o n/1 itrlm# <1 < /I ~
Ulb V.UUI/1IJ UIIU IVUUl U1U L11U J 1II1U, Ulier
rummaging about, but a most exceiiunt dinncr,
together with delicious wine and some
highly flavoured cigars. To say they aid
not sit themselves comfortably down on his
richly cushioned seats, and partake of his
sumptious dinner, wash it down with his
delicious wine, finish it ofT with his highly
flavored cigars, would be departing farther
from the truth than I care about just now.
The names of the officers were Capts. Williams
and McKinstry, and the dinner was
a perfect windfall after a hard morning,s
work without eat'n>T, and with slim prospects
a head for food. A party of dragoon
officers, some two or three weeks since,
also had their own fun near Santa Anna's
estate at Mango de Clave. While hunting
about the premises, they stumbled upon
the building where he kept Ins fighting
chickens. Those well informed upon the
subjjcttell me there was a great deal of
cock-fighting in that immediate section for
a day or two, and that one particular fight
crcated great excitement A fierce looking
rnnc^ov tirKinli t Viotr rln KKn/1 rinn rT1^ - i ~ ?
ivvu?v* vr uibift hi&ujr UMUUUU JL U^y !U111
not so large as some but with game sticking
out all over him?-was pitted against
a long, gangling chicken that they gave his
owners name to?a heavy but
with but little fight in him.
Taylor and Santa Anna, as repnMMH^HH:
the chickens of the latter, were r
another, and after a few he a the
former the latter <(bambos||^^|Hm^p|;
the fight as fast as his two legs
him, leaving Gen. Taylor's repKP" * j\v.
upon the ground crowing right|mre&j|^g|t
such are some ol the accidents
fallen the "hero of Tampico."
The Southern Journal ef Medicine arid.
Pharmacy, Bi-monthly P. C. GrASiiLAiib,
M. D., and H. W. DeSausbure, M. D.,
Editors.?Price, $4 in advance.?(Vol.
2d, NoT 3d.)
The May numbor of this exceUdto^Deriodical
has just como to hand, and I|Bh^||^Nk
the character we have hithorto attreBttfl^BB
We have always thought that thflBS^^B ^
gence of. the South was not
terested in the periodical
scionco of tKo^day. . Wo are glad
this work seoms to constitute